General Question

Emigration from US to New Zealand, Prospects?

As the political situation in the US becomes more unacceptable to me, I am considering a “backup plan” of emigrating from the US. I have considered Quebec and the Maritimes in Canada, Iceland and the South Island of New Zealand. Of these, NZ seems to be the most appealing. I have an independent income (military pension and investments) but would prefer to be gainfully employed. My questions are: What are the employment prospects of a 53 year old mechanical engineer, also qualified to lecture at university level on history (military and technological)? I also have skills in diesel mechanics,wind turbines, photovoltaic electric power. What are the land prices (rural, aporox. 100 acres) within a one hour drive of Christchurch or Dunedin? I wish to build a stone cottage with independent energy sources. As target shooting is a major hobby of mine, what are the NZ firearms laws like as compared to the US? Is it possible for a foreigner to purchase real estate in NZ?

22 Answers

NZ is very expensive and difficult to gain entry into for purposes of migration. If you have a personal fortune, it is easier. You might start by writing to some companies and universities there and getting a sponsor. Another way (the easiest) is to marry a kiwi. Firearms laws are much stricter than the us but farmers are allowed to have guns, small caliber. I think you can buy land there and live there if your personal fortune is great enough.

@trailsillustrated So I should start with info from the NZ goverment website, probably finish my PhD here. I’m fguring academia to be my best shot. If I liquidate all my US real estate holdings, maybe that would be considered “fortune“enough. I’ll have to see what there specific capital requirement is. I do have a guarranteed lifetime income, perhaps they will take that into consideration. The idea of marriage just doesn’t appeal to me , I recently lost my wife to a traffic accident and have no interest in such things anymore. So with sufficient land I would be classified as a “farmer” and could import some of my small arms. Thanks for the starting point, now I know where to start my research from. :^) +GA.

I am sorry about your wife. Check the government website. If you have are able to invest substantially in a country it is much easier to re-locate. Also, look around on the internet for companies there to send letters of interest to. Have you been there? Why not go there personally and visit some unis, meet some people, perhaps find someone with a guest house or small pub that will help you. It will be nice weather till about march. I think you will be able to take your small arms with you. Also, there is lots of hunting there, if you go there, talk to some guides that will be full of information for you about shooting, what you can shoot, living, all that.

New Zealand would be a good place to hide out, and skills with power generation, water reclamation and purification would be handy. Civil engineering useful. I would put 2012 at less than 20% chance, but he assholes in the middle east, and our own boys are highly likely to engage in some creative nuclear pollution.

New zealand and canada are convenienlty out of the jet stream in my estimation.

@DrMC I’m more concerned about becoming a political refugee. As outspoken as I am, the Homeland Security Ninjjas will probably try to kick down my door. Pull some frame setup like they did with Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge. I’d rather leave than shoot it out with th bastards.

Me I’m afraid to have a gun in the house. Working on our paintball guns, I dropped mine and caught it. It had enough residual pressure to fire… straight at my son’s head. It has a protective cover over the muzzle when not in use. It was no where to be seen?!

“Dad!” he exlaimed.

“Doh!” I said, no cover.

It was blown clear off – found it, had caught the load and was gooey on the inside.

Probably would have taken his eye out.

I remember when Bush won, half the population of New York (guessing by the rantings of the media) wanted to emigrate to canada. Canadian officials were quoted as saying this was not welcome. Ironic.

Its a time to think about freedoms. Those to bear arms, and those against people who bear them maliciously. Rights for medical care, and the right to work in the medical field as other than a slave. Freedoms and rights.

If we develop a supermassive political correctness thought control governemt, I daresay those with an IQ greater than 110 and not in the “party” will be seen as freethinkers. A very bad thing to be if you don’t like the inside of re-education camps. I’m biding my time, the pendulum will swing.

Now I guess for mentioning concentration camps that i’ll be citing for spreading hysteria.

@DrMC For me it is not a matter of “re-education camps” but of life and death. I made the same decision years ago that many other professional soldiers did. Better dead than taken prisoner.The idea of emigrating is becoming less appealing to me as I come to the realization that life itself has little meaning to me anymore. I’ve moved beyond the point of contemplating taking my own life. Now my attitude is that of waiting for the opportunity to make an honorable and principled exit. Emigration is only an escapist fantasy. The principled option is to stand and fight.

I will continue to speak my mind. I have no desire to overthrow the government or to commit terrorist acts. My intention is to criticize the state as I see fit. If Big Brother doesn’t like what I have to say, tough shit. Send the storm troopers in, but plan on losing a number of them before my dead body is hauled out. I really don’t care any more.

As I get older, the value of my remaining years seems less precious oddly.

Unfortunately, anyone playing in the current game, raised on principles of the goodness of state are now looking at a very different set of cards, with a stinky hand to play.

It’s not clear to me that this can be won, but I do like the idea of capitalism. If a country stinks, leave it. That’s a market decision, not cowardice. If the country is no longer the one that all have sacrificed for, and it’s loaded down with fleas and ticks, no point fighting over a sinking ship.

If instead there is hope. One soul worth saving in sodom, then it’s worth fighting for.

Fighting is noble when it produces something of universal value. Not good if it produces corpses only.

Time will tell, here. The problem I see is that in the deep future, the nature of these things may make life unlivable in these parts. There is a distinct possibility of a nuclear mishap.

@DrMC I no longer hold out any hope for the US as it is now turning into a theocratic police state. But leaving it, I have concluded, would be an act of cowardice. I intent to stay and fight against these ugly trends even at the cost of my own life.

@DrMC I am not a pacifist. and value my privacy too highly to be engaged in any such activity. If some personal enemy wants to drop a dime on me then my life ends since I will not consent to having my home violated or my freedom curtailed.

Christchurch or Dunedin!? Brrrrrrr. Much more affordable than that north island though. Depends how close to the bigger cities you live. 100 acres would be pricey. US$ is about $.70 per NZ$ at the moment though.

Guns are not common here but as previously mentioned, they are used for hunting.

I have heard that gaining residency or extending visa’s can be difficult – unless an employer confirms that your skills are needed here and wont be easily replaced by a New Zealander.